Plastic Bag Collection Events Tip the Scales on America Recycles Day

WASHINGTON, DC--(Marketwire - Dec 2, 2011) - Plastic bag recycling took on an educational and festive flair in schools, village squares, college campuses and retail store parking lots during America Recycles Day 2011, as community groups in 35 states embraced the message that plastic bags should not be treated like trash. In all, more than 130 plastic bag collection activities were held to celebrate the annual event sponsored by Keep America Beautiful and aimed at raising public awareness to reduce, reuse and recycle throughout the year.

The America Recycles Day celebrations ranged from school-wide collection competitions to craft fairs showcasing items made from reused plastic bags and earth patrols promoting sustainability. In addition, "Caught in the Act" collection events were held in five states that have adopted the A Bag's Life public-private program that encourages greater recycling of plastic bags and wraps. Pennsylvania became the latest state to join A Bag's Life on Nov. 15, officially America Recycles Day.

"It was exciting to see the enthusiasm with which our local America Recycles Day event organizers across the country embraced plastic bag collections and educational events," said Brenda Pulley, vice president recycling programs for Keep America Beautiful. "Recycling plastic bags makes sense and is one action consumers can take to protect our environmental resources. Plus, it is such an easy thing to do, you just have to remind people that they can take them back to a nearby store that recycles."

Nationwide, the recycling of plastic bags and wraps is on the rise, with more than 855 million pounds recycled in 2009 -- a 31 percent increase since 2005.

A Bag's Life and its thought-provoking monikers "Don't Treat Me Like Trash" and "Gimme A Second Chance" were a big hit in Cambria Heights Elementary School in Carrolltown, PA. Administrators there "carefully and lovingly" counted 40,141 plastic bags before declaring the collection contest an overwhelming success and ending it a week early.

"It was over-the-top invaluable for the students," said Daria Wargo, school counselor a.k.a. Captain Recycle to students. "Parents, teachers, our local Walmart and county solid waste department were all on board to help. A Bag's Life and its smiley face gave us the incentive we needed to get it going. Many of our lesson plans include the recycling message and we'll continue to promote it throughout the school year."

A Bag's Life, also in full swing in Florida, Virginia, Texas and North Carolina, encourages consumers to additionally recycle other bags, like those used for dry cleaning, newspapers and bread, as well as wraps used on products like paper towels or bottled water. It includes an interactive and educational website (www.abagslife.com) and an app that pinpoints more than 10,000 drop-off sites by zip code.

A Bag's Life congratulates the following organizations for their tremendous effort in educating consumers about plastic bag recycling:

About A Bag's LifeA Bag's Life is a public educational campaign that unites non-profits, business, community and government organizations around the common goal of promoting the three R's as they relate to plastic bags -- reduce, reuse and recycle. Partners include the nation's largest retail stores, regional and local grocery stores and dry cleaners, environmental groups, state governmental agencies and the American Chemistry Council's Plastics Division. To learn more, visit www.abagslife.com.

About Keep America Beautiful, Inc.Keep America Beautiful, Inc., established in 1953, is the nation's largest volunteer-based community action and education organization. With a network of over 1,200 affiliate and participating organizations, Keep America Beautiful forms public-private partnerships and programs that engage individuals to take greater responsibility for improving their community's environment. To learn more, visit www.kab.org.

About America Recycles Day
America Recycles Day(SM) Is a national program of Keep America Beautiful, and is the only nationally recognized day and community-driven awareness event dedicated to promoting and celebrating recycling in the U.S. Since its inception in 1997, communities across the country have participated in America Recycles Day on November 15 to educate, promote environmental citizenship, and encourage action.